Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Activating an Item in a Folder

• US 20120030623A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hoellwarth, Quin C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons on a touch-sensitive display. The plurality of icons includes a folder icon that corresponds to a folder that contains a plurality of items. The folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators for at least some of the items in the folder. The device detects a finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at a location that corresponds to the folder icon. In response to detecting the finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at the location that corresponds to the folder icon, the device determines a respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture and activates the respective item.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, the plurality of icons including a folder icon that corresponds to a folder that contains a plurality of items, the folder icon including respective selectable item indicators for at least some of the items in the folder;

detecting a finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at a location that corresponds to the folder icon; and

,

in response to detecting the finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at the location that corresponds to the folder icon;

determining a respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture; and

activating the respective item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with an arrangement of the corresponding items within the folder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a frequency of use of the items in the folder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a recency of use of the items in the folder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a frequency and recency of use of the items in the folder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture includes:

detecting a direction of movement of the finger gesture at the location that corresponds to the folder icon, and

selecting the respective item that corresponds to the direction of movement of the finger gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators for up to nine items in the folder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators for up to four items in the folder.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, the plurality of icons including a folder icon that corresponds to a folder that contains a plurality of items, the folder icon including respective selectable item indicators for at least some of the items in the folder;

detecting a finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at a location that corresponds to the folder icon; and

,

in response to detecting the finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at the location that corresponds to the folder icon;

determining a respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture; and

activating the respective item.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with an arrangement of the corresponding items within the folder.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a frequency of use of the items in the folder.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a recency of use of the items in the folder.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a frequency and recency of use of the items in the folder.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein instructions for determining the respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture includes instructions for:

detecting a direction of movement of the finger gesture at the location that corresponds to the folder icon, and

selecting the respective item that corresponds to the direction of movement of the finger gesture.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators of up to nine items in the folder.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators of up to four items in the folder.

17. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:

display a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, the plurality of icons including a folder icon that corresponds to a folder that contains a plurality of items, the folder icon including respective selectable item indicators for at least some of the items in the folder;

detect a finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at a location that corresponds to the folder icon; and

,

in response to detecting the finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at the location that corresponds to the folder icon;

determine a respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture; and

activate the respective item.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with an arrangement of the corresponding items within the folder.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a frequency of use of the items in the folder.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the respective selectable item indicators are displayed in the folder icon in accordance with a recency of use of the items in the folder.